The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to pluggable modules, and more particularly, to guide frames for pluggable modules.
Various types of fiber-optic and copper based pluggable modules (sometimes referred to as “transceivers”) are known. The pluggable modules permit communication between host equipment and external devices. The pluggable modules are plugged into a receptacle assembly that is mounted on a substrate, for example a printed circuit, within the host equipment. The receptacle assembly typically includes a receptacle defined between individual opposed guide rails that are separately mounted on the substrate. The pluggable module is loaded through a front end of the receptacle and mates with an interface connector positioned at a rear end of the receptacle. The interface connector is typically covered by a cover that is mounted on the substrate separately from the guide rails and the interface connector. The cover includes an opening that enables the pluggable module to mate with the interface connector through the cover. As the pluggable module is loaded into the receptacle, the guide rails guide the pluggable module within the receptacle to align the pluggable module with the interface connector.
Because the guide rails are typically separate components that are separately mounted on the substrate, the guide rails may not accurately align the pluggable module with the interface connector. Misalignment between the pluggable module and the interface connector may make it difficult or impossible to mate the pluggable module with the interface connector. For example, the guide rails are typically mounted on the substrate using fasteners that extend through openings within the guide rails and into openings within the substrate. However, tolerances at the openings of one of the guide rails and the substrate may add up with the tolerances at the openings of the other guide rail and the substrate, such that the guide rails are not positioned relative to each other to adequately align the pluggable module with the interface connector.
The cover may also make it difficult or impossible to mate the pluggable module with the interface connector. For example, because the cover is a separate component from the guide rails that is separately mounted on the substrate, tolerances at the mounting interface between the cover and the substrate may add up with the tolerances at the mounting interfaces between the guide rails of the substrate. The cover may thereby be positioned relative to the guide rails such that the cover opening is not positioned to enable the pluggable module to extend therethrough and mate with the interface connector.